A reputation for competence must be earned

The Coalition centred its election campaign on putting the adults back in charge, but now that it's in charge it needs to earn the trust it thinks it deserves, writes Chris Berg.

Tony Abbott wants everybody to know he's running an "adult government". This is a mistake.

That story is responsible for the strangely flat-footed response to the two scandals the Coalition has faced in government so far: expenses and spying.

To both, the Prime Minister's defence has been a variation of "that's just the way the world works".

For nearly six weeks, Tony Abbott tried to bat the expenses scandal away. His colleagues suggested that weddings were more business than pleasure. But the ride-it-out, nothing-to-see-here strategy didn't last. After letting the expenses issue fester for more than a month, the Government announced a crackdown in mid-November.

In other words, the adults already knew. And adults don't apologise for doing adult things.

This is an audacious new crisis management technique. Don't deny the scandal. Don't deflect. Instead, openly admit it. But admit it with a knowing shrug. Spies spy. Some expenses are questionable. So what? That's just how it is.

The Coalition's stubborn attachment to its campaign narrative could have more important longer-term consequences. Just ask Malcolm Fraser.

It's audacious, but it hasn't been particularly effective. The Indonesian government found our Prime Minister's reaction somewhat inadequate.

You may have missed it, but the Carbon Tax Repeal Bill was introduced to the Parliament on Wednesday last week. Just think how frustrating it must have been for Coalition strategists to watch the Indonesia spy scandal unfold at the exact time they're trying to execute a political manoeuvre they've been preparing for four years.

The Liberal Party sent around campaign-style emails to inform its supporters of the tax's impending repeal. Abbott made a YouTube video trying to goad the Senate into action. The Coalition is working hard to pin high electricity prices on Bill Shorten.

Despite all that, the carbon tax repeal has been overshadowed by Jakarta's unhappiness.

The whole adult government thing was only ever supposed to be a critique of Labor's internal turmoil. The point wasn't that Tony Abbott and his team were particularly mature. It was just that the Labor Party was uniquely immature.

Recall that the best explanation for the otherwise inexplicable June 2010 spill is still that Kevin couldn't get along with the other kids in the playground. This diagnosis became a big part of Coalition thinking. An internal Liberal Party document described Kevin Rudd as a "self-centred two-year-old in an adult body".

It's a mistake to assume a story that works on the campaign trail makes sense in government.

The Abbott government is full of former Howard government ministers. But most of them made their careers in the later years of that government.

They received their senior leadership roles after John Howard had held office for many years, after he had been firmly entrenched as an incumbent government, after he had built a degree of trust – that is, after he had proven to the voters that he and his team were adults.

A reputation for competence has to be earned, not assumed. The Abbott government is trying to skip this crucial step.

Sure, scandals come and go. They chip the edges off a government but rarely damage the foundations. A few months from now nobody will remember the expenses affair. The Indonesian relationship will recover.

The Coalition's stubborn attachment to its campaign narrative could have more important longer-term consequences. Just ask Malcolm Fraser.

Fraser also came to power after a frenetic, unpopular, dysfunctional, and short-lived Labor government. His story in 1975 was the same as Tony Abbott's in 2013. To vote Coalition would be to vote the adults back in power.

Yet once the Coalition was back on the Treasury benches they drifted. The aim had always been to aggressively break apart the Labor government, not develop an agenda for reform.

The Fraser government is now chiefly remembered in Liberal circles for missing the opportunity to open up the Australian economy.

Under Fraser the Coalition was slow and methodical. Take its approach to the stiflingly over-regulated financial sector. Malcolm Fraser first announced he would hold an inquiry into the financial system at the 1975 election. Yet it was only in 1983 that his government begun the process of opening the Australian market up to foreign banks. By that time it was too late. Paul Keating had to do it for them.

Tony Abbott has repeatedly promised to take any big reform proposals to the next election, rather than springing them on an unwilling public. Again, this only makes sense in comparison to Julia Gillard's broken carbon tax promise.

Yes, the Coalition needs to get out of the shadow of the last government.

Chris Berg is a Research Fellow with the Institute of Public Affairs. His most recent book is In Defence of Freedom of Speech: from Ancient Greece to Andrew Bolt. Follow him on Twitter @chrisberg. View his full profile here.

Jackdaw:

APM:

26 Nov 2013 6:49:36pm

You would prefer the omnishambles, corruption, lies, spin, confected division, and spendthrifts we had before? Its a 'logical impossibility' that Australia cannot be anything but better off now. The 'progressives' only regressed Australian society and deserve their damnation.

JohnnoH:

RayS:

Right now, GDP growth is levelling out and the debt limit is being massively raised. That's two bads and no goods.

Howard had the aussie dollar as low as 47c US and imported goods were unaffordable. We are going there again.

Simplistic rhetoric, deceit and low cunning got Abbott elected, but he was lying. Julia Gillard is accused of one lie, but Abbott has told nothing but lies.

Talk about trust. Ha!

Now Abbott has written a grovelling letter to Yudoyono, throwing the spooks down the toilet a few days after he backed them to the hilt to keep doing whatever they do. He just wakes up in the morning and thinks of something to say.

Adelaide Rose:

26 Nov 2013 11:18:09pm

Yes I would. The previous government may have been an internal mess but it actually got things done. important things, worthwhile things, things that were designed to serve us well into the future. The mining tax, the carbon tax, Gonski, the NBN, the NDIS, a fair paid maternity leave payment, the BER and much more. Sure the ALP made missteps and failed at the selling of their party and some of their policies but at least they had policies. The Abbott government has nothing, no appeal and no substance. the polls are reflecting the fact that Australia regrets the election result already/

MJLC:

27 Nov 2013 12:03:48am

I think you and I both know the definition of "omnishambles" is about to reach a new level APM - Labor merely introduced the notion, it takes dysfunctional Liberals to make the word flesh. 'Omnishambling will always be better under a Coalition government' might be a nifty slogan to add to your already bloated bag. Two months in and conservative warriors such as your good self are already reduced to 'It's no worse than Labor' self-justifications, and the fun hasn't even kicked off yet.

Must be very sad waiting around gnashing your teeth for six years only to be served up this bunch of losers to cheer for. Still, I suppose more beef for the Australian market in the short term could be chalked up as some sort of a success I guess.

sleepykarly:

27 Nov 2013 3:53:13pm

APM, you are really shooting yourself in the foot with that comment! The only positive thing you can plead against the total incompetence of this Abbott Government is to say it is better than the previous, which even your crowd labelled 'the worst in Australia's history'.

High praise, to admit that you are only the second worst in Australia's history! But don't worry; the complete botch-up so far is only the beginning. I'm sure Tony will be able to step up that one more rung to displace Julia/Kevin within the next six months; the next Budget will be the perfect opportunity.

So much for a Double Dissolution to abolish the Carbon Scheme. Tony will be even less enthusiastic for that double-or-nothing ploy than Kevin was in his time.

LeftRightOut:

We KNOW his government is competent and adult. They have spent the last years - sorry weeks proving they can run the long run.

How do we KNOW?

Because THEY tell us. This is also backed up in sound bites by their flock of minions.

How dare you question their integrity!

It is also demonstrated by the fact that they have achieved so much. The reason we don't know how much they have achieved is because they cannot tell us due to operational integrity. (Either that or they haven't achieved diddley squat and don't want us to know.)

LeftRightOut:

Ozziefreid:

27 Nov 2013 12:51:53am

Simply because someone is elected does not engender immediate trust - trust is earned. This is where Abbott-and-mottley-crew+bubbles Bishop(Julie), with their inarticulate utterings on most of their policy portfolios have failed gov 1.1. As evidenced re their arrogant, ignorance with Indonesia, climate change (wot's that?) etc etc. Oh, appointing a minister for sport but no minister for science - I mean how cerebral is that?? Big problem with Abbott-and-mottley-crew is that they are very, very short on neurons.

Icantbelieveitsnotbutter:

Mitor the Bold:

26 Nov 2013 8:14:11pm

They're not so much 'adult' as 'parental'. Their answer to the question 'what?' is 'none of your business'; 'why?' - 'because we said so'; and 'how' - 'don't you worry your pretty little heads about that, just leave it to us'.

Sack:

awake:

26 Nov 2013 3:26:20pm

The Coalition are still in opposition mode. They do not know what to do with Government, policy or thinking outside the square allowed them by their masters.

We will be a sorry old country after the Abbott Government has finished with us - cut everything, downgraded the public service to stress levels not seen before. Cut education, health, carbon tax, diplomacy, more tax more cuts.

Then when the infrastructure falls over Labour comes back to fix the whole thing once again. The big end of town is looking good but the other end is really doing it hard.

JohnnoH:

26 Nov 2013 9:35:34pm

Johnny please shoosh that kind of talk, someone might hear you, and the electricity companies will be found out. It's a good con that you'll get back on average $550 per year, but as we know that is not going to happen either. I got my quarterly bill today and it is just ove $180, now if I get back $550 a year I'll only be paying $42.50 a quarter. But we also know what you said is true the Carbon price only added 0.07% to the cost of living.

whatif:

27 Nov 2013 8:40:45am

that's right it wasn't much and if you bring in gst for fresh food, it will cost a lot more, so its just another lie and believed by the party faithfull, and small business thought this bloke would be the apple in the pie to save them hahahahaha by the way if you look in the fresh food aisle you will see a lot of it is rotting, people cant afford to buy it.

Blzbob:

27 Nov 2013 8:35:31am

Of course is Tony really wanted to lower electricity bills by 10%, then the best way of doing that would be to make electricity GST exempt. Now I'll bet you both Labor and the greens would support that one and pass it through both houses with not even a moment of debate.

But Tony doesn't really want your power bill to be 10% cheaper, all he really wants is a political victory.Of course the smartest of us know politics is all just a pound of pomp, an ounce of fluff and a ton of Bull5#!7.

mike:

26 Nov 2013 3:38:16pm

If Kevin Rudd was the self centred 2 year old in the play ground running around saying look at me, Tony Abbott is the play ground bully with a deep inferiority complex beating up any kid that is smaller than him and then lamely tries and lies his way out of it when he gets caught.

As an opposition leader he was very effective. But he had not policies other than tear down everything labor did and then hang on.

That has proven to be farcially ineffective in the first brief months of his government and will, I believe, continue to be so in the remaining years of his one and only term of government.

My concern is that if any leader in the past 40 years were to do something highly unconstitutional that would seriously challenge Australian democracy it would be Tony Abbott. The secrecy obsession of his government has already show this. His lust for power knows no bounds.

Juan Enrique Ubaldo Nulasco :

26 Nov 2013 3:42:19pm

The case is that it is wrong for countries to spy on others, then again I believe that it is a natural reaction for countries to do so. In this competetive gglobal society. Many countries want to be a step ahead. They just have to take it in a differemt way. Its never acceptable to invade others privacy.I agree with Abbots reform.

Adelaide Rose:

26 Nov 2013 11:22:15pm

What particular reform do you agree with, he hasn't proposed or implemented any? He has however tried to begin unravelling the real reforms of the previous government. He has of course, failed at every single thing that he has tried so far.

Blzbob:

Bighead1883:

26 Nov 2013 3:42:24pm

Adults in charge! Where?Meanwhile from one blunder to the next and in 2 months and 19 days we have a no show in Warsaw,diplomatic faux pas with Indonesia,giving Naval Patrol boats to a war criminal.This is adult behavior?Scott Morrison`s general disaster along with Tony`s rhetoric will probably see hundreds of boats arrive by Christmas.The Indonesians have stopped even checking boats going through the straits as their government has told them not to.Rumours have it the the How Many Boats Scoreboard is being put back up.

NWM:

26 Nov 2013 3:47:08pm

Abbott's appallingly rude and abusive behaviour in opposition did not sit well with many Australians but he got away with it due to Labor's struggles and a sympathetic press. Many people reluctantly voted Abbott as the best of a bad lot. And so all eyes are on him to see if he is up to the job and the jury is definitely out. Abbott's policies do not seem particularly positive, there is no vision of progress, of Australia's place in the world and they seem very arrogant and secretive. Quite apart from the specifics of their policies that seem focused on destruction rather than development, this secretiveness does not sit well with Australians, and their arrogance will not sit well internationally. The other thing I find worrying is an apparent gagging of Liberal politicians as it is difficult to believe they don't have opinions varying from Abbotts rigid and limited views, and his attempts to lull or bully the Australian public into a "no information" zone. It is a pity, as the world is driven so much by business, and with the great need for international cooperation for humans to tackle some major issues that we need to deal with, that Abbott doesn't seem to have the grace and intellectual flexibility to lead Australia forwards. Looking back to the future is not going to cut it as the world has changed so much since the Howard years. Leadership is a two way street and after his vicious attacks on Labor, he will stand judged by his own standards I guess, so it won't be easy. And particularly if he continues to be seen to be overly influenced by the likes of Gina and co.

Bighead1883:

26 Nov 2013 10:17:49pm

@NWMYour narrative is spot on and you seem to have read the public`s pulse well,please let me add that the LNP is setting us up for a recession and it looks like it might be a big one.Business friends of mine are very worried and starting to downsize staff and curtail spending hoping to weather what`s coming.

rufus t firefly:

RobertC:

27 Nov 2013 12:49:10pm

Thanks NWN. In opposition Tony Abbott played the big, tough (adult) man and without consulting with Indonesia said that a coalition government would turn back boats to Indonesia, buy up village boats and increase intelligence gathering relating to asylum seekers. Indonesia was offended. No wonder Mr Abbott had had so much difficulty bringing the Indonesians back on side. This big, tough, "adult" man has had to agree with Indonesia's conditions - i.e. agreeing to some sort of code or practice. Mr Abbott is not able to perform well on an international stage. He speaks awkwardly under pressure - the more pressure the greater the likelihood of him saying the wrong thing. Too much pressure and he speaks rudely and/or says revealing things - e.g. "she has sex appeal". During the election and before, mostly what we heard from him were the brief slogans - "stop the boats" etc. Under pressure, he does not engage in anything like well constructed discussion and debate. I cannot see him lasting as the coalition's leader - with time, he will "put his foot in it "too many times, and he will go.......

Ali:

27 Nov 2013 2:50:40pm

By far the most shocking thing to me is how I keep hearing from people who voted LNP how shocked they are by Abbott's actions. How could anyone be shocked by this? Anyone with half a brain and the barest interest in politics could see exactly what an Abbott government would be like; an arrogant, obstructionist, paternalistic, bogan-pandering mess, just like he was in opposition. Wake up Australia, you reap what you sow.

Culex:

27 Nov 2013 3:12:35pm

I agree for the most part, but it is clear from the Senate result that Australia did not vote for the Liberal/National ticket at the last election. It was a vote against the ALP, not for Abbott and his cronies.

The rise of Palmer is evidence enough. Every one of those Senate seats could have easily gone to a Liberal or National candidate - that people opted for a completely new party is a sure sign that the Coallition did not get the mandate that Abbott seems to think he has.

JOP:

26 Nov 2013 3:51:54pm

The trouble for Abbott is he has so little talent from which to choose his front bench, especially while he sticks to his no women policy. Gillard's lot may have at times behaved no better than children, but this bunch have the potential to open a successful circus (lead acts Joe 'double the debt' Hockey, Scott 'no boats' Morrison and Christopher 'swallow the sword of Gonski' Pyne). Six years of preparation, the last three supposedly under a 'ready to roll' footing, yet aside from dismantling Labor's initiatives we have so very, very little. Most worrying for Abbott, even if he does manage to halt the refugee flow, it isn't going to create a single job, improve quality of life or keep interest rates down. And in three years time, that is what is going to count the most.

NWM:

27 Nov 2013 10:36:29am

I agree. The deputy treasurer I think it was said it clearly, as Abbott and co were in the process of proposing reducing tax on superannuation incomes of $100K while removing the $500 per year co-contribution for the poor (of whom a majority are women), that the Libs "were on the side of those with aspiration". I found this a shocking statement - very oppositional, elitist, sexist and cruel.

The Liberal negativity and hostility towards lower income workers and the poor is very sad, and their definition of "aspirational" is very macho. Most mothers will aspire to do what's best for their kids and if they think that being at home rather than work to earn a poor wage and spend most of it on childcare is not economically viable then why are they on the opposite "side" to the one the Liberals profess to be on. To then remove assistance from these people and give more assistance to those who absolutely do not need I find extremely offensive and unjustifiable.

But anyway, their hostility will lead to uncaring and unimaginative policies that will eventually cause enough doubt and shatter confidence that will lead to a reduction in the number of jobs on the basis of some free market justification that is outdated and does not address the current needs for positiveness dynamism and change in our economy as we respond to the current imperatives around globalisation, population and environmental concerns. But it will be couched behind talk of "productivity". It's a very limited view, very irrational and a very ruthless and damaging one.

whogoesthere:

26 Nov 2013 3:52:25pm

Abbott is a terrible communicator. I used to think he played dumb because he thought that would give him popular appeal, if so, he needs to change. He's the PM now, that's much harder then being an Opp Leader gifted a completely hopeless Government to oppose.

Despite the debacle that was Rudd/Gillard/Rudd, Abbott was never particularly popular, which he should have been. His shortcomings were covered up by the antics of Labour. I doubt he would have lasted against a vaguely competent Government.

Surely the LNP won't do a 'Gillard' and dump him mid-term no matter how he goes, so could be interesting times ahead. Still early days, but he wanted to be PM for a long time, you think he would have realised that meant taking a new approach. So far, no sign of it.

For a politician to succeed they need those who would naturally oppose them to at least listem to them, and give them a bit of grudging respect. Howard could do this. Gillard could not. I don't think Abbott can either.

Stephen:

26 Nov 2013 3:52:51pm

What a trite and useless article from the IPA. Whitlam's government may have been frenetic, unpopular and short-lived but dysfunctional to some extent,,,but it brought about the longest lasting reforms in Australia. Coalitions maybe the "adults" but god they simply have no vision for taking Australia forward into the future at anytime they have been in power.

Kangaroo Edward:

JohnnoH:

Monty B:

26 Nov 2013 4:01:20pm

`the Coalition needs to get out of the shadow of the last government`.

No Chris, the Coalition needs to get out of the shadow of its own entrenched opposition persona.

Habitually spiteful and negative, lacking vision other than for more middle class welfare, conceited thinking only they are adults, no need to provide information on boats or travel expenses, and now bagging the education reforms they promised to honour.

Labor should stand firm on the keeping the carbon price. The latest polls will kill any appetite for a double dissolution.

JohnnoH:

rufus t firefly:

27 Nov 2013 12:08:02pm

'Labor should stand firm on the keeping the carbon price."

Yes they should, even though polling shows its not popular. In fact they should stick to their guns BECAUSE its not popular, and because they believe it to be the right thing to do. There was a time (there really was) when the job of politicians was to convince the electorate that their values and policies were the right ones for the nation. Not to slavishly follow polls (particularly ones shaped by the questions asked), but to lead debate. Sticking to their guns while in opposition would help restore credibility and may even convince the broader electorate that these issues are too important to drop for political expediency.

As the old saying goes, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. Which more or less sums up the last election result.

greenspider:

26 Nov 2013 4:06:07pm

I think it's a bit presumptuous to say that the Indonesian spying will be forgotten. There's still the possibility of the Senate election in WA to run. That will be an awfully effective rod to whip the LNP's back with, it will still be fresh in the WA voters' minds. If the Abbott government doesn't release the text of its reply to the Indonesia (and I'm not suggesting it should - or it shouldn't), the Indonesian government is still having to deal with its own internal dissent about Australia's action. Yes, it's a very small series of demonstrations at the moment, but if the fanatical element can gain a bit more traction in this field and the disturbances increase, then the Indonesian government (depending on the substance of the letter) may find it desirable/ necessary to make the reply public.

And who knows what will happen then, in both countries? If it is couched in the PM's by-now familiar truculent terms, that will not earn him friends either here or overseas. If he backs down and apologises, that will cause him to lose face domestically.

JohnnoH:

sally:

26 Nov 2013 4:06:29pm

From my point of view,it is so hard to tell whether a government is good and mature or not.You blame the government for the childish stuffs(no apologies or something else), but who knows the real situation?Only the government is clear about those stuffs that citizens will never know.And as we know,policy is not an easy stuff.Who can see the thousands of hundreds of dark sides?Who can tell the real reasons of the trades or the corporations between nations?Every government has difficulties that they can not tell and maybe it seems unfair or not humanistic to other countries,they did do things to protect the country.They will make mistakes and it is necessary to understand them,Just trust them,if it is worthy.

bbt:

26 Nov 2013 4:08:44pm

Pyne's refusal to meet with the committee that came up with the Gonski plan is breathtaking in its arrogance. Is Gonski good or bad? I have no idea. But surely the current Education Minister would want to be briefed?

LeftRightOut:

26 Nov 2013 7:23:24pm

The problem with being briefed is you have no excuse for the ultimate failure. This is an example of the 'we are born to rule' mentality and nobody can tell them differently.

We, the general masses, will receive a much worse legacy under this government than under the previous. Labor might have left us with debt, but the LNP will leave us with class warfare and without a cohesive society.

Alpo:

26 Nov 2013 4:09:50pm

"Yes, the Coalition needs to get out of the shadow of the last government."... That's a brilliant description of the Abbott Government, Chris. All what they are planning to do is just a mere revisitation of the former Labor Government's agenda, with some added twists such as the Paid Parental Leave, that do not make any sense at all. The polls are already telling Abbott, just 2 moths from the election, that a do-nothing Government won't last 3 years. On the other hand he can't introduce what you Libertarians would probably like to see, or the Neoliberals would like to see. Simply because that's not what the People want. Had he gone to the election with that agenda, not even Rupert would have been able to help him. And so, as predicted, Abbott is trapped, he has nowhere to go and his three-word mantras are coming back to haunt him.... I will be watching with great interest the battle for the climate change policies in the Senate in July next year.

GraemeF:

26 Nov 2013 4:18:18pm

The Coalition ran its campaign on big lies.

Lies about the state of the economy and the effect that the carbon tax would have. They accused Julia Gillard of lying to the people when she promised to put a price on CO2 before the election just by twisting the word 'tax'.

They will act just as truth avoiding in government. They will attempt to just bluster through any problems and hope they will go away.

ribald:

Maynard:

26 Nov 2013 4:23:43pm

The expenses rort will return to bite them all on the bum. Sure the Indonesian thing is an acute problem but this was caused by the anti-Australian ABC & we pay for the privilege. When will that bastion of old white girls privilege be reformed?But the lack of adults is surely manifest by the lack of any plan to pay down the debt.

Adelaide Rose:

26 Nov 2013 11:37:13pm

The problem was not 'caused' by the ABC, it was simply published by the ABC. the information was already available, it's not like the ABC created a story out of nothing. The problem was the Abbott response, it was appalling. He should have jumped on the phone at the first opportunity, stated that he was not in government at the time and therefore did not have the details but would ensure that there was an investigation and most of all, promise to ensure that checks and balances would be strengthened to ensure that there would be more control over spying activity. he then should have apologized for any embarrassment caused and undertaken to work more closely with Indonesia through open and transparent diplomatic means in the future.It could have all been over as quick as it began except for Abbott's diplomatic immaturity.

Jbear:

27 Nov 2013 11:26:19am

I agree Adelaide Rose, a simple media release stating that someone in the past unintentionally overstepped their boundaries we regret what happened and it won't happen again.Simple - it was a mistake, whether it was or wasn't in real terms is actually irrelevant as we all know what it was; including the Indonesians. Face would have been saved by both sides.The reality of this situation is that although the government might like to make partisan political points out of these things it must be very careful how and when it discusses it with its target audience.Feel free to attack the previous government, but first deal with the most pressing matter, our relationship with Indonesia.It is quite astounding really how the Coalition took something that it could have belted the Labor opposition over the head with for years and turned it into a damaging own goal of truly eye watering consequences.I doubt former PM Howard would have let slip the opportunity, a truly superb weapon to blunt the opposition now turned on themselves by themselves.

Early Grayce:

26 Nov 2013 4:24:28pm

Christopher Pyne breaking promises.Useless reviews rubberstamping ideologically driven changes.Never a promise from Pyne or Abbott that can't be broken.Tony Abbott trying to destroy things that are fine within his first year in the hope we will forget by the next election.

Poisonous Mushroom:

26 Nov 2013 4:27:46pm

The Coalition will never win the trust of the public or other nations until it shows respect for all and trust in all. This mob has very clearly made the point that it does not trust its candidates, it does not trust its Ministers and it does not trust its members, it does not trust friends of Australia overseas and as to the public, it does not trust the public, treating them as mushrooms, keeping them in the dark and feeding them BS.

It is a mob that has continued in opposition to everything and everybody since it was sworn in as a government.

Abbott's modus operandi has been clear from his university days, if not before. Despite that it got enough voluntary and involuntary votes (through preferences) with a third of Australians refusing to vote to be given a majority of seats. Australia has got what many wanted, what many others feared, but what the nation deserves with the Coalition operating to type.

Don't put any hope in Abbott and co changing. They won't it simply does not gratify their desires to impose upon others.

TrevorN:

Darren:

26 Nov 2013 4:44:26pm

Constructive advice for a deconstructive government Chris. It feels like the Abbott regime has been in government longer than Labor already with the constant stumbling. Even though Abbott governs from under a rock, whenever he does poke his head out he makes a fool of himself and all of Australia for trusting him and his ministers. It would be best for everyone if Abbott continued to hide rather than expose his inept and crude nature to the electorate. The worst Prime Minister ever.

Gravy:

26 Nov 2013 4:45:02pm

What has become quite apparent is that the LNP are in government not because they won the election, but because the ALP lost.

Yes, their small target politics worked well in opposition, but they have entered government on the back of populist slogans and policies without a significant reform agenda in an era that requires significant reform.

It may not make sense politically, but neither does being left holding the baby when it all comes crashing down or becomes too big to ignore.

JohnnoH:

26 Nov 2013 9:48:19pm

Labor may have have been lucky in losing the election. The conservatives are looking more and more like the biggest failures in government in Australia's history and that's a pretty hard act to follow considering the Fraser Government, Whitlam Government and Hawke Government. But wait they were all head by Rhodes Scholars weren't they?

Noway:

27 Nov 2013 8:08:10am

"..in an era that requires significant reform..."

The salience of this passing observation is poignant. Australia must work with the rest of the world ; many of whom ARE confronting climate change, financial change and humanitarian need on their doorstep. World trends require new solutions, not just faith in old dogma.There are no old liberal management tricks or spin that will work.Pulling weeds and planting trees will not prepare for climate change.Cuts to education is no investment in future problem solving.

Labour management did not look good because they were caught out actually working.

mikemwa:

26 Nov 2013 4:47:32pm

We also need the mainstream media doing their job properly by holding them to account.

The media failed us badly when the LNP was in opposition. They reported innuendo and gossip as if it was news and accepted slogans as legitimate policy. Worse was the failure of enough good people objecting to the vile campaign waged by the Liberal Party. The medias behaviour was shameful.

C:

27 Nov 2013 1:01:25am

Beautifully nutshelled. If I want sordid gossip, innuendo, sleaze and speculation, I watch 7, 9, 10, 2, Liberal spokespersons and TMZ. If I want actual information, I look at independent and alternative web based news sites. I have been appalled by the media for the last 4 years, but at least TMZ have been balanced and stick by their journalistic ethics.

BBW:

26 Nov 2013 4:49:16pm

What trust ? no one at the ABC trusts Abbott. Not one mention of Gillard having to pay back $4000 because Tim used her car for business ? Not one mention of the victorian fraud squad currently investigating Gillard and her ex boyfriend ? Hardly a mention of the timing of the spy scandal released to do maximum damage to the Abbott government ? No questioning of the previous government who's watch it happened under ? Mark Scott should resign. The ABC is out of control and has taken on the minority left green agenda with Abbott in its sights and will not stop until he is gone.

Bruce in Indonesia:

Carol:

26 Nov 2013 8:53:14pm

What do you think of Tony Abbott's use of taxpayers money to ride in charity events and claiming that there was electoral business in that area and there wasn't. Isn't that fraud. And then there is his slush fund that was used to get Pauline Hanson and put her in jail. You do know that Tony's expenses are up to about $80,000.00 to ride bikes, travel in planes to remote areas for 2 days. What do you think about Don Randall claiming money to fly to Cairns to buy a property. Do you think that is fraud? I think there was a front page photo in the Daily Lies showing Tony, Don and George as pigs with their noses in the snout. What about going to weddings and claiming, is that fair?

Big Del:

26 Nov 2013 4:51:31pm

"Yes, the Coalition needs to get out of the shadow of the last government."

You have hit the nail on the head there Chris. Not only are Government ministers still making comments about the previous government but many conservative media commentators are as well (I can't remember the last time when a Piers Ackerman article was about coalition policy rather then an anti ALP yawn. It must have been prior to 2007).

The public that voted in the coalition has a right to expect the new government to get on with the business of governing. It will begin to wear thin if the coalition keeps on bagging the previous government when things don't go their way. (and this includes repealing of the carbon tax - I don't believe for one minute the coalition didn't know if would not be able to have the tax repealed due to the senate makeup at the moment).

Here is a chance for the coalition to do something for this country. Blaming the previous government on everything is a recipe for disaster.

JohnnoH:

26 Nov 2013 9:51:56pm

Pierce Ackerman writing an article on coalition policy, isn't he the mouthpiece on coalition policy? But what could you really expect from someone who writes for the Daily Telegraph. That right these mugs have slogans not policies and therefore this is a government of no substance because they have no policies.

Big Del:

27 Nov 2013 9:03:55am

JohnnoH - Piers does nothing but attack the ALP. He never writes anything about the coalition's policy - it's just attack, attack, attack of the ALP. It's a huge turnoff except for those rusted on coalition voters who lap it up.

jennbrad:

26 Nov 2013 4:53:02pm

Interesting that the reliably IPA Chris Berg thinks Abbott is handling things badly. I must admit most of his reactions have been cringe making.

I know there was instability, not to mention chaos in the last government, but while the media headlines were all about personal relationships and who thought what about whom, and what political stoush was evolving, all this time the minority Gillard government was negotiating outcomes for Australians - close to 600 pieces of legislation passed is clear evidence of something working, even if getting no thanks for it.

And carbon tax - while half the population want to get rid of it (some seem to think it's a tax on them) over half Australians want the government to do something workable about emissions, and not many of them think "direct action" (whatever that might be) is of any use at all.

So getting rid of the carbon tax is one thing - the really interesting thing is what is Abbott going to do instead? It will be a sterling example of how "adult" a "leader" he can be.

Mycal:

26 Nov 2013 5:20:01pm

Chris your argument has a number of unstated premises:

a) That TA and the coalition government have a reform agenda. Sadly the evidence is that they are yet to formulate one of any signifiance, stoping the boats and scraping the tax are not really policies, they are political slogans. Most times they are just deers in the head lights wondering what it is they they should do next and allowing events to overwhelm them, that is not being slow and methodical.

b) The cabinet is a reversion to the Howard years, but with out Howards political astuteness (okay cunning) and without a resources boon to under pin government revenues. Going to be intersting to a see how well Howards recycled Ministers do in a finacially constrained environment.

JohnnoH:

stephen:

26 Nov 2013 5:25:33pm

Both issues, expenses and spying, are prominent not because they need to be, but because the media is angry that this government is not - like the previous shemozzle certainly was - at the beck and call of self-important journalists who shove mics. up noses of parliamentarians outside The House, (the Labor pollies normally got arraigned in front of Red Hill restaurants) and cross-examine with stupid and impertinent questions, assuming guilt - as if a journo. should even have such a thing on their mind.

There is no good reason why anyone except those in direct fire would need to know how many boats were turned back last week, if the Signals Directorate is reporting to the USA what they heard, if Abbott had directed any Minister to pay back monies only after A Current Affair got wind of something stale, and if Chris Pyne should be made to state how many times he said that he would honour Gonski reforms before the election, even though it is good sense that it is only now that this government has full access to information which has given them a full and proper sense of accountability.

The public should trust their representatives to make decisions that they may not be privy to.We do not have to know everything, all of the time.

JohnnoH:

Val Doxan:

26 Nov 2013 9:58:13pm

"The public should trust their representatives to make decisions that they may not be privy to."

Maybe, but so far we have either had chronic paralysis or patently inadequate decision making. How can you seriously claim that it going to a mates wedding is a reasonable business expense and that the taxpayer should pay for it?

Absolute rubbish! The PM should have got onto the front foot and shown some leadership by creating some real accountability, just as there is for most of the Australian Public Service. I felt embarrassed for him frankly.

Labor would have looked stupid rejecting that reform and Tony Abbott would have looked like a leader.

rufus t firefly:

NotMyName:

26 Nov 2013 5:40:34pm

After three years of hear no policies, see no policies and speak no policies P.M. Abbott has a team in Bishop, Pyne and Hockey who certainly still act the part in office. Why Abbott didn't abandon Don Randall after his weak explanation of the honesty of his use of Parliamentary expenses I'd like to know, considering the outcome and Abbott's actions, it depends if your a friend of his and not what is correct. Julia Bishop can add no idea to the three wise monkeys proverb. Pyne and Hockey strutting and posturing in parliament and on TV only add to voters dismay at the quality of Abbott's ministers', and the way the polls are going, the one vote advantage Abbot has over Turnbull wont be enough, or soon enough.

JohnnoH:

rufus t firefly:

27 Nov 2013 12:18:57pm

I though Malcolm Turnbull would probably wait a year before making his move, but it might be time to start making those phone calls. Phony tony's done his party piece - getting elected - andhe doesn't appear to have anything else to offer (btw, his own book, Battlelines, actually says as much).

Demosthenes:

26 Nov 2013 5:41:10pm

Abbott is well on his way to joining the ranks of the forgettable Liberal PMs, like Gorton and McMahon. Fraser looks dynamic and reformist next to Abbott. An inability to do anything much or make reality based decisions (e.g. Indonesia, carbon pricing) is going to haunt him.

What exactly is he going to achieve, other than removing some taxes and making Australia a international pariah for not doing a lot more on carbon? Even the Chinese are making fun of us.

mick:

27 Nov 2013 3:42:57pm

maybe standing up to those indonesians is a good thing and not rolling over and cowtailing for events actually done under labor. These people need slapping down a little and cannot be trusted as neighbours. Too many australians dead in this country. We should never apologise or lick their boots as labor and abc would like to see. Where's your pride.

AT:

26 Nov 2013 5:44:44pm

"It's a mistake to assume a story that works on the campaign trail makes sense in government."

Didn't work on the campaign trail either, Bergy. Surely you realise that the electorate voted against Labor and not "for" Abbott? Or maybe you don't. The coalition doesn't get it -- they seem to take comfort from believing their own propaganda.

Repealing the carbon tax was meant to be a big deal?! I've got news for you, even without the spying revelations it would've barely made a ripple. Are people expected to applaud the abolishing of a tax? Abolishing, backtracking (on Gonski), blundering (through diplomatic relations), concealing information (on asylum seekers) and having Mark Textor on your side does not make for an inspiring new government.

But then we already knew Abbott's mob were this mediocre, didn't we? Even you knew, Chris, eh?

The question now is what can Abbott do to make himself a credible PM leading a competent govt?

Um...

Well...

I can't think of anything. Can you?

No, didn't think so.

Tony Abbott; stridently carving out his place in history as Australia's worst ever Prime Minister.

R Supwood:

26 Nov 2013 6:06:43pm

I've seen and analysed governments since Curtin. This is the most puerile, untrustworthy one, bound to superstition, duplicity, media manipulation and polls. Led by Murdoch's muppet, who has won a prize he doesn't really want and can't service, the front bench of old proven stinkers and failures has just done a daily dither, with the yabbering poodle Pine saying Gonski is gone. No diplomacy, tact, policy or integrity makes it a rotten government in just weeks. Poo.

T1:

27 Nov 2013 1:22:57pm

I agree entirely, the most mean spirited lot we've ever had. Not adult, more like spoiled children getting access to the adult controls and taking revenge for the sake of it. Abbott has a reputation for not listening. His cancellation of advisory groups such as ADCA (which has advised all government on drug policy for 50 years), is proof of this. This will be the most uninformed, blinkered, blind government in Australia's history.

arf:

26 Nov 2013 6:07:01pm

Ah, Chris. I can appreciate it must be frustrating for the IPA to discover their tools of policy implementation are not fit for purpose.

Oh. The carbon repeal was gazzumped by 60,000 people the previous sunday, plus Shorten's response that it will only be supported by the ALP if the tax is replaced by emissions trading, plus a few polls suggesting that, with 80%+ support, carbon pricing isn't quite the anathema to the population that your masters would like to have us think.

C:

Malcolm:

26 Nov 2013 6:13:47pm

So what Mr Berg is really saying is that Little Tony has gone from faux righteousness while Opposition Leader to disinterested apathy now he is PM.

Once again I find myself agreeing with Berg - travel expense rorts, inability to recognise that his stop the boats rants can't work without Indonesia's help, abandoning of the Gonski reforms despite promising to support them etc. If I were Tony I'd begin reconsidering my performance given that the IPA is criticising this at a time when the main opinion polls show that the Coalition government is slipping badly and would have lost an election if held last weekend. No political honeymoon and now a conservative think tank is criticising him - Abbott has no choice but lift his game or the Liberals will dump him. I can't say I'd find that a loss to Australia.

rufus t firefly:

27 Nov 2013 12:27:18pm

In my 45 years of following politics in Australia I've never seen a govt from any side, not have a honeymoon period. Even Newman had one in QLD (a short one). And although in terms of votes this was nowhere near the landslide some claimed it was still a comfortable win. There's usually an afterglow period. Its becoming very clear that hardly anyone voted Liberal, they just voted against Labor. Does anyone know if this immediate crashing to earth has ever happened before? Or what the outcome was?

DiogenesNT:

26 Nov 2013 6:21:57pm

Abbott and Co were too busy saying NO to everything, running out of the house when it came to vote, attending tax payer funded events, rorts most of the voters said, but do they say mea culpa? No, it was all on government business and community engagement. They are more interested in style than substance and seem to have forgotten now that they have been elected they actually need to govern. The adults are back in charge. They had 6 years to ponder on what they were going to do and how they were going to do it. It seems that they think everything comes down to 3 letter slogans. Well here is one for them, OMG!!

rufus t firefly:

struck dumb:

26 Nov 2013 6:43:31pm

If this was an episode of "Yes, Prime Minister" we would all be laughing.Unfortunately there is nothing funny about the last couple of months, and I suspect there is worse to come before the government finally grows up and works out what it wants to be remembered for, instead of just being a ps in history.Every phrase of abuse that the Coalition in opposition hurled at the Rudd/Gillard governments is likely to come back and haunt them, and so far, the one about an ineffectual government seems pretty apt.I would like to think that we cannot sink any lower, but I would not be gambling on it. Governments come and go, but international relationships take a bit longer to get re-established and once trust is broken, its hard work to win it back.

Reinhard:

26 Nov 2013 6:53:44pm

Oh please Berg, there are no "adults" in the Abbott govt, you just have to study their childish behaviour.It was only a matter of time before the wheels started falling off the coalition bandwagon, Scott Morrison's incompetence is being hidden behind a huge screen marked "operational security", while Julie Bishop is staying OS until the heat dies down. Chris Pyne is whining that he can't can't give us Gonski reform because the ALP's dog ate it. Joe Hockey has been running around the place trying to look busy, often writing down the largest number he can think of, and then doubling it. In 2013 the electorate was fooled into into believing that Abbott had "changed" but it was all just fake tan and botox. Now after two months in govt Abbott still has no idea what he is doing, Dr No is back with a vengeance, and he is showing no humility whatsoever. He has zero skills in diplomacy, which requires a light touch not a king hit, and he still refuses to remove his boxing gloves.Some are born to lead, while others are born to oppose, Abbott is certainly the latter

rufus t firefly:

mikemwa:

26 Nov 2013 8:00:26pm

The Liberals plan will be to spend all off next year dishing out the punishment. The year after they will lie low and in the following election year they will try to butter us hoping that we have all forgotten how they betrayed us in the first year of their government.

JohnnoH:

Horrie:

26 Nov 2013 8:01:06pm

Mr Abbott promised adults would running the country with the election of the Coalition, 10 weeks in our Prime Minister Mr Abbott calls Mr Shorten "electricity bill" in parliament- the speaker allows the comment. Chris Pyne calls the Gonski deals with the States as "shorten's shambles". Adults running the show I don't think so, Barry O'Farrell hit the nail on the head, the Coalition are acting like they are in opposition, just a tip - grow up boys and the one women.

ateday:

26 Nov 2013 8:41:25pm

Our present govt is the result, as it always was going to be, of the need/desire to get rid of one bunch of incompetents for another.The lesser of two evils perhaps.Time will tell.It certainly was never about wanting TA to be the boss.It is a sad reflection of our politicians and also of us, the voters.Never was the expression "don`t vote, it only encourages them" truer.

mikemwa:

JohnnoH:

26 Nov 2013 9:28:08pm

Now let me get this straight, an Abbott led government will be an "adult government". Abbott the school yard bully from the last parliament, the little person with a one word vocabulary of 'no'. The man who said he was robbed at the 2010 election even though Labor received more votes and thus the "no" campaign out of revenge and sulkiness. "Adult" government, pull the middle one it plays jingle bells.

Astroboy:

26 Nov 2013 9:28:26pm

Aboott has completely ruined Liberals chance at the next election. I will never consider voting for Liberals until real leadership steps in. Come on, bring the adults back in. Surely Costello is shaking his head in disgust and Turnbull too, if only he would step up and show some leadership. The Abbott government is shockingly incompetent and the Liberal party must deal with it now. Or face the consequences of the Tea Party in US. We cannot have a government in form without content. Simply choosing a candidate to win an election, without showing any potential as a leader is a grave mistake and will take years to recoup the electorates confidence and trust again.

anote:

26 Nov 2013 9:53:39pm

"A reputation for competence has to be earned, not assumed. The Abbott government is trying to skip this crucial step." More importantly the Coalition are confirming a lack of integrity, which they carried over from opposition. Competence can never make up for that while they retain the prise they got with that lack of integrity.

It was not that the Coalition were more mature than Labor. It was that the electorate got sick of Labor. The Coalition also played a game of providing minimum detail to create a minimal target and avoid scrutiny before the election. Labor infighting was one thing but the Coalition did not earn respect for integrity.

tomtoot:

26 Nov 2013 10:11:25pm

@Chris:- "Tony Abbott wants everybody to know he's running an "adult government". This is a mistake." - and don't we all know it - the speaker (with her 101 spotted dogs to her right) sanctions derogatory comments on day one against Bill Shorten?

Wow! - the scene is set? - open slatter if you ask me?

Not yet a day in government for the LNP, and already the sarcastic comments are flowing? The weeks prior were filled with failings, and now this LNP government is dogged by a spying situation that should have been resolved immediately and not drawn out like it has?The LNP secrecy, or dumb silence on issues of the refugees has a horrible stench of the TAMPA and children overboard?

It's a worry?

This LNP government is a real worry?It lacks diplomacy?It lacks common sense?It lacks honesty? - and that worries me deeply?

Ozwarrior:

26 Nov 2013 10:50:47pm

Its easy to lie and cajole your way into government ,but it is even easier to be found out. But folks here we are in both state and federal politics watching two parties spar incessantly . What about us, why did we elect any of them, they are ALL a bunch of nose in the trough egotists and meanwhile while they stuff every thing up and squander all the money we entrust to them the country is going down the gurgler in every way. Time for a republic.

ru4real:

27 Nov 2013 1:34:37am

'Real' adults don't talk about 'real solutions' as if they know everything.This 'government' is demonstrating that it is 'really' bad at governing.Tony Abbott may have weaselled his way into power, (after all he said he'd do 'anything'), but now he's in the driver's seat.And it's no longer photo opportunities with ten-second sound-bytes, but real situations, with real other people, and real complexities, and Tony Abbott is making one real mess after another.And so are his ministers, including the one female cabinet member.We already knew that Tony Abbott doesn't have much respect for experts (eg. climate change, Gonski, Henry tax review etc.).But we never expected any PM to show so little respect for other national leaders.In a very short time he's managed to offend Indonesia to the extent that Australia's political, trade, education and other links are in jeopardy.'Real' adults take responsibility.They don't hide behind the 'authority' of others, whether they be 3-star generals or not.The LNP's wrecking-ball has taken an enormous toll, not just economically and politically, but on our international reputation.The opinion polls have turned already.If Tony Abbott uses the 'carbon tax repeal' trigger for a double dissolution, the disillusioned electorate might throw this BAD government out.

C:

27 Nov 2013 2:12:54am

Reputation for competence? Professor McGonnagel would have called it 'dumb luck'. The whole concept of their competence has been a Liberal propagated and media supported myth for 20+ years. Any Liberal 'success' has reflected the circumstances of previous Labor reforms and landed in their laps. The Coalition seem to have an invisibility cloak when it comes to any real scrutiny of their actual 'competence'. Priceless.

Joel:

27 Nov 2013 6:25:02am

Not sure what the hysteria is about. The ALP is gurgling as their party struggles to find significance, and the LNP are governing quietly. For once I haven't got to worry about politics as I know they won't come up with stupid plans. The media is annoyed as they are cut out and the LNP are refusing to respond to a pointless and inane 24hr media spin cycle, or the rantings of ill informed and ridiculous commentators who's opinions aren't worth listening to.

Jbear:

27 Nov 2013 12:07:31pm

Holy smoke, this is your idea of good government!

I may have not liked PM Howard that much nor his policy platform but at least with him I did have a sense he wasn't about to do something stupid. This fellow PM Abbott I'm not so sure off. I'm concerned with the rhetoric shown so far and poor diplomacy regarding our near neighbours we will end up with a political or military stand off regarding refuges in the Indian Ocean between Java and Christmas Island.

I am little puzzled though you state you can now relax and not worry about politics yet here you are responding to a political piece from a political think tank on a news site.

Andrew:

DENIS:

27 Nov 2013 8:32:07am

In a 'good old days' mode, interesting to reflect how Fraser made it to The Lodge, where he did bugger all, with 'the loans affair', Labor trying to 'buy the farm', that is, own a big chunk of Australia's mining action... a great big, dumb idea according to Malcom's Mob, backed by a media feeding frenzy out for Whitlam & Co's blood. Yet, around the same time,Sweden got into a 'buy the farm' mode and today the people own a nice chunk of their own mining businesses and profits. One rule of thumb ALWAYS applies to the Tories... theylack vision - too busy checking out the red and black ink on the accounts...

Drum Major:

27 Nov 2013 8:40:48am

The most immature thing to do is to use the term 'adult' to describe the Government. Last time I checked, you had to be an adult to stand for election. Therefore all governments are 'adult' with adults in charge.

Jbear:

27 Nov 2013 12:15:39pm

Thankyou Drum Major. It is an insult to anybody who didn't vote for an LNP candidate. An indiscreet jibe at the large percentage of the populace. That they (ordinary citizens) somehow weren't smart enough to consider themselves or their choice of government adults; A truly demeaning proposition.I have never derided someone's choice of candidate maybe at times I have questioned their compassion and evaluation but don't ever recall calling it an infantile or childish.